


Wondering

by dragonsFall



Series: Sparks of Magic [4]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Brief Mention Of Self Esteem Issues, Crushes, Cuddling, M/M, Mage Ace, Mages Familiar Marco, Nightmares, Soul Bond, Teen Ace, teen marco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsFall/pseuds/dragonsFall
Summary: Sometimes, Ace likes to stay up late at night and wonder about things he shouldn't be wondering about. Tonight is different though.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace
Series: Sparks of Magic [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909924
Comments: 8
Kudos: 66





	Wondering

Ace traced over the bond mark circling his wrist. All the swoops, arches, and lines that made up the feather. He hadn’t noticed it before but the black ink was starting to fill with color. A smattering of blues, purples, and yellows. Not appearing in any sort of pattern. Did that mean that their bond was strengthening or did it develop over time? Ace wasn’t sure. Then again, he didn’t remember much from his familiar textbook. Preferring to learn as he went, experiencing things for himself. He found that he was doing this a lot more often. The tracing. Especially at night when his thoughts were getting too loud. 

At least tonight’s thoughts weren't going in ‘the world would be better off if I didn’t exist’ direction. Instead, he was reflecting on the fact that he was developing a crush. On his familiar of all people. Who he was forbidden from having anything more than a friendly relationship with. Hell. The guy might not even feel the same. And Ace wasn’t about to mention anything about it. They were going to be together until he died so it would be a shame to make things awkward. Or to make Marco feel like he was being pressured into something more than a friendly relationship.

The realization that he was developing a crush had come earlier on in the week. They had been practicing one of the runes they had been taught in one of their classes. Ace was starting to get aggravated because he kept screwing it up. Runes, like all forms of magic, could be incredibly finicky. One wrong line and you were doing something else. Noticing his frustrations, Marco had taken his hands and helped him trace the shape in the air. The smile he had been given once he finally succeeded had sent butterflies straight to his stomach. His cheeks had started to burn. Barely focusing when he noticed how easily rune magic came to Marco. He had an eye for detail that Ace lacked since he preferred something simple and quick. In case of a pinch.

And nights like tonight, he would fantasize. Nothing inappropriate. Just little things. Like what it would be like to hold his hand. How they would feel interlocked with his own. Would they be warm or cold, smooth or callused? He just wanted to feel them beyond the guiding hands during their lessons. How about a kiss? Any kind of kiss. A soft one on his hand, a scarce peck on his cheek, a vicious make out he sometimes saw between couples in the hall. What about to hold and to be held when everything became too much? Little moments of just existing sounded nice too. Just sitting together. Not even touching or talking. And whoops. There goes his mind, down the rabbit hole of his imagination.

The freckled teen was brought out of his fantasies when he felt tears welling up in his eyes. Wait. Tears? He was crying. Why? He sat up slowly in bed, blankets sliding down to pool in his lap. Ace reached up and wiped at his tears. He wasn’t feeling particularly sad so why..? Now that he thought about it, there was a faint tightness to his chest. Like he was panicking. The hell was going on?

A choked whimper caught his attention and his eyes went to the bed on the other side of the dark room. The bed where Marco usually slept. A mass of pillows and blankets all piled together in what looked like a nest if you asked Ace. He threw his legs over the side of his bed after shoving the blanket off. Shivers ran up his spine as his feet made contact with the cold stones of their shared room.

He would approach the mass of blankets and pillows that hid his familiar. Ace couldn’t see Marco right away but he eventually found him thanks to his blond hair poking out of the blanket that was hiding him from view. “Marco?” He asked as he gently pulled the blanket away. A pang shot straight through his heart when his eyes landed on his familiars face.

Marco's cheeks were tear-stained, lips slightly parted as he breathed heavily. Panicked almost. The face he was making was a mix of terror and pain. Eyes squeezed shut. It was an expression he had never seen on his familiars face. And it was one he never wanted to see again. It felt like there was a constrictor around his heart. Rather than leaving him to suffer, Ace stepped forth and gently shook Marco, trying to wake him from what was terrifying him so much.

And okay. He really should have expected to be taken out by the wings Marco summoned forth. Or at least hit in some way. All he felt was one of his familiars' wings knocking into his chest, pushing him down to the ground and briefly winding him. Once he was recovered, he was quickly scrambling up and staring at the blond sitting on his bed. His eyes were closed, taking in deep breaths. He had wrapped himself in his wings. Like a cloak of cold blue flames. Like he was trying to comfort himself. The room was filled with an eerie glow that originated from those wings. Illuminating yet casting more shadows.

“Marco?” He asked, hesitating to step closer in case of an attack. Ace already got shoved to the ground. He didn’t need a talon slash as well. 

Those blue eyes focused on him, full of tears. Red and puffy. It took a moment for the blond to recognize that it was him. And even then, he didn’t relax. Didn’t dismiss the wings that just wrapped tighter around him. It broke Ace's heart. What had happened with those that had summoned him previously? What did they do to him? What could bring the unshakable Phoenix to his knees? And how could Ace help him? He wasn’t about to go looking in a book. Hearing from Marco himself would be better. One day though. Not today.

The freckled teen stepped closer, testing the waters. If Marco didn’t want him near then he wasn’t going to get near. “Hey… Is there anything I can do for you? To help, I mean”

And finally,  _ finally, _ Marco seemed to start to relax. His wings were dismissed, leaving just his arms wrapped around him. It seemed that he was digging his nails into his sides. A moment of thought then he was shaking his head. “You don’t have to do anything. I’ll be okay, yoi” 

“You sure?” Asked Ace, approaching to at least pry Marco's hands away from his sides. He was surprised at how willingly they came away. If his mind wasn’t preoccupied, he would have noticed how Marcos' hands felt in his but there were more important matters to focus on. He did note that they were sweaty and clammy.

“Can you.. hold me, yoi?” Asked Marco after a few moments of silence. It almost seemed like he didn't want to ask. Ace felt himself starting to get a little warm but he nodded. Of all the things to be asked, he didn’t think about that one. When he shared a room with Deuce and Sabo, they would sometimes ask for him to just hold him after a bad dream. He didn’t think Marco would want something like that. Ace wasn’t about to deny him. 

“Uh yeah. I can do that”

Getting settled took a lot longer than he thought it would. There was a lot of shuffling of the blankets and pillows that made up Marcos' nest. Once room was made, Ace flopped onto his back towards the edge of the bed. The blond had tucked himself into Aces' side, one arm draped over him and head resting just under his chin. He was pretty sure his familiar could feel how fast his heartbeat was going. At least the gloom of their room would keep him from seeing his red cheeks. 

Well, that was one thing he had experienced now. What was it like to hold Marco? He was warm and surprisingly light. Guess he should have expected that. He turned into a bird after all. His hair tickled his face, always seeming to have a mind of its own. Absently, he reached out and ran a hand through Marcos' hair. Oh. That was soft. Feathery. Ace didn’t think he was going to sleep. Much too aware that he was holding who he had a crush on because he had a nightmare. At least it seemed that Marco was calm now. 

Ace was sure Marco had gone back to sleep until he felt him shift to look at him. There were lighter flecks in those eyes, smaller than the freckles that painted Aces body. No wonder he missed them. They looked gold but he would have to take a better look in the morning.

“Thank you, Ace..” Was all Marco said before he was getting settled once more.

“Yeah. Of course. We’re partners right?” Silence was Ace's response. Looked like he went back to sleep this time. It left him alone with his feelings and his thoughts. On how this could never be more than a friendly gesture. Dating a human familiar had always been forbidden. Even though Marco seemed just as human as he was. If it wasn't for the fact that he could shapeshift into a fiery bird then you would think he was just an average human. And what exactly had caused him to cry earlier? Did it have something to do with their bond? Guess he was going to be exhausted in class tomorrow. 

**Author's Note:**

> Want to request a fic? Feel free to contact me on my Tumblr: clockworkPanic


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